Earlier this year, William Osler Health System (Osler) was nationally recognized by Accreditation Canada when it became one of three Ontario hospitals to complete its rigorous People-Centred Care Program Certification. As an organization deeply committed to delivering high-quality, people-centred, compassionate and culturally-safe care, Osler valued the opportunity to conduct an evidence based interprofessional self assessment, gap analysis and enhanced action planning. This approach is recommended as an important step all hospitals can take towards realizing a stronger and more inclusive health system that puts people at the heart of care and decision-making.
“Embracing people-centred care powerfully reflects how Osler team members live our vision of World-class health care inspired by our people and communities every day,” said Kiki Ferrari, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer, William Osler Health System. “People-centred care is a cornerstone of the organization’s 2024-2029 Strategic Plan”.
With Osler serving a population of over 1.3 million people in Brampton, North Etobicoke and surrounding areas across five sites, Kiki and her team see a focus on people-centred care as being instrumental in addressing the increasingly complex health and social needs of its diverse communities, advancing health justice, and further enhancing the patient experience.
“We have learned firsthand that creating an inclusive environment – one grounded in collaboration and respect for diverse perspectives – strengthens continuous quality improvement and leads to better patient outcomes and experiences,” added Kiki.
Developed to strengthen individual and organizational competence, Accreditation Canada’s People-Centred Care Program Certification aims to:
- Engage people in continuous quality improvement activities and decision-making
- Increase transparency and accountability for achieving results
- Develop and support people to sustain engagement in service delivery and planning
- Strengthen knowledge and competence for collaboration and teamwork
- Deepen mutual understanding of needs and aspirations that lead to better decisions and results; and
- Align behaviours with people-centred care values and principles.
As someone directly involved in helping Osler to complete Accreditation Canada’s certification process, Mary Jane McNally, Chief Patient Experience Officer, William Osler Health System is a firm believer in the power of people-centred care and the direct impact it can have on patient experience.
“Delivering people-centred care is more than a priority at Osler – we’re actively partnering with patients and those who support them to listen, understand and respond to their unique needs and lived experiences, providing meaningful information and education to empower individuals and communities, and advancing shared decision-making to shape hospital policies, programs, and integrated services,” says Mary Jane.
Osler’s PFAC was recognized for helping make real improvements in patient safety and quality of care, hospital operations and values-based patient experience. On post-discharge surveys in 2025-26, PFAC-informed initiatives helped increase the percentage of Osler patients who reported that they were “always’ involved in their care from 77.5 per cent to over 82 per cent when compared to the previous year.
“At Osler, we know that the health and wellbeing of our patients, workforce and communities is strengthened when we work together to continuously improve quality and the patient experience,” said Dr. Frank Martino, President and CEO, William Osler Health System.
“Recognitions from Accreditation Canada and HealthCare PX are a testament to the spirit of transparency, inclusiveness and collaboration embedded in our culture. Osler is proud of our teams and their commitment to delivering truly people-centred care.”